1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for sidetracking a truck, and particularly to a device for uncoupling and sidetracking a carrying truck from an unmanned self-propelled truck towards a predetermined position, as used in an assembly shop or a storehouse.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recently, most of assembly shops or storehouses are equipped with a fully automated system for trasferring a loading or baggage to several predetermined positions, using a self-propelled truck and a carrying truck coupled therewith. For instance, the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Pub. No. 4-328008 discloses a typical example of self-propelled and carrying trucks, and a method for uncoupling the former from the latter in an automatical way. As suggested in this prior art, a self-propelled truck moves, trailing a carrying truck therebehind, along a given running path in which a light reflecting tape is adhered on a floor. The self-propelled truck automatically moves on the running path, with its light sensor detecting the light reflecting tape, and will be uncoupled from a carrying truck at a predetermined uncoupling point.
However, as a preferred mode in such uncoupling operation, there is a sidetracking system available for uncoupling and sidetracking a carrying truck from a given running path where a leading self-propelled truck moves, in a direction towards a given sidetracked point. In this sort of system, the carrying truck must be uncoupled and displaced from the running path in a direction orthogonal therewith. Consequently, the system per se inevitably becomes a large-scale construction with complicated mechanical elements which results in occupying much of room and space in the assembly shop or storehouse.